how the heck do I start exercising?!

I can never find the motivation and enjoyment to exercise which is the only thing holding me back from losing weight. I got the whole eating healthy thing down... I just don't know what to do and where to start with working out. I don't have a gym membership and can't afford it for another couple of months due to money issues. I work four to five days a week and Im a waitress at a fast paced coney island so Im always running around at work. Someone please give me some advice on where to start and how to get motivated!

Pick something anything athletic and do it for 30 min three days a week. Bike, walk, swim, lift weights, sail, zumba, hula hoop. whatever just move more and if after 3 weeks you still hate it try something new.

Eventually you will find something you like

 

I imagine since you are walking around all day at work if you just watch foods and portion control you could probably see some results.  

Give Zuzana a try  - it isn't easy but it is a challenge and since it's always different it's fun

 http://www.youtube.com/user/ZuzkaLight

Just do simple "extras" during the day.  While cooking your breakfast/ lunch dinner do some bodyweight squats, do some push ups off the counter, lunges are good too.  

 

Stop at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on your way to work. It's pretty and walking the 2 mile loop would be a good place to start.

 

Original Post by quackoinkmoo:

I can never find the motivation and enjoyment to exercise which is the only thing holding me back from losing weight. I got the whole eating healthy thing down... I just don't know what to do and where to start with working out. I don't have a gym membership and can't afford it for another couple of months due to money issues. I work four to five days a week and Im a waitress at a fast paced coney island so Im always running around at work. Someone please give me some advice on where to start and how to get motivated!

First realize that this isn't true at all. Plenty of people lose weight without exercising. Body builders commonly say that abs or a six pack are made in the kitchen. 

Exercising is a great way to change your body however and improve your health. Key trying new things until you find something fun!

Go through the FAQ and find something that interests you that won't wipe you out for your regular job duties. Since you already get a comprehensive full-body cardio workout waiting tables, you should probably look at strength training or metcon.

I am a recent graduate and have a pile of student debt. I can't gym-it either.

I got a cheap resistance band from wal-mart and do my arms and do rows at home with that.

For cardio I walk. For more intense cardio I put on motivational dance music and dance my ass off till I am breathing hard and sweaty. I try to maintain this pace for 20 minutes. 

I am not easily motivated to work out either. I love to dance though so I just pump up the intensity and get to 'er. 

 

hope this helps!

Start off small, walk when you could ride, walk in your off time either with a dog or with a music player to pass the time. Stairs are a better option that the elevator or escalator. Our Grandparents didn't have gym memberships either they where just more active. :)

I agree with the post above that weight loss is more about eating than exercise.  However, if you want to exercise, allow me to point out that you are getting plenty at your waitressing job.  What you may want to add at this point is yoga.  You can do this at home, and it has been around for so long that you should be able to pick up an old book at a used bookstore or a Salvation Army store.   If you have netflix or hulu, you may be able to find some videos to follow.  Also there are plenty of videos on youtube. 

Since you spend your workdays engaged in physical activity, yoga will benefit you because it stretches and strengthens muscles, while properly aligning joints.  It calms your mind while releasing physical tension.  

There are plenty of simple yoga postures to get your toe in the water.

As for motivation, I agree with the advice given above.  Give it three weeks.  If at that point you don't have the desire to do it, it isn't for you.  

Cheers,

 

I run small group fitness challenges where we motivate and support one another to work out! Helps to have others that push each other along!

Exercise is not my thing either. For me the word means work not fun. So for me I have choosen one of my favorite things to do. I love the water. So I take time weekly to spend in the water. I move continually for 1 to 2 hours moving some part of my body at all times. So think about something that you like to do. Maybe its walking on the beach. or shooting basket balls. or walking the dog. or even shopping. Walk the mall if you are a shopper. Throw a frizbee around the park. Dance. What ever it is that you like to do for fun add it as an exercise a few times a week. This way its like a fun time not an exercise time. I feel so much better when it is fun and I have exercised as well. Hugs

sounds to me you get plenty of cardio through the week so I highly reccommend stregnth training.  buy some cheap dumbells and a look up a few moves online.  I think stregnth training is one of the most important things a woman needs to do as she ages.  muscles burns fat better than anything else. and woman will not bulk up contrary to popular belief.

"I can never find the motivation and enjoyment to exercise which is the only thing holding me back from losing weight."

Diet is more that 90% of losing weight. Exercise helps prevent loss of muscle mass and it helps you feel younger and stronger. It also helps you tone your body so the lean you looks good. But it is not the key to losing weight. Just walking is more than enough and even that is not critical to losing weight. 

"I got the whole eating healthy thing down..."

If you are logging your "calories in" accurately, then all you have to do is tilt the equation so you have a deficit of 500 calories each day and you will begin losing whether you exercise or not. Exercising allows you to add an extra snack and maybe lose a little (very small amount) faster. Of course, weight lifting does build muscle that raises your metabolism, so there is no question that training your core will benefit you in the long run.

I totally agree I have water weights and use them every time I swim.

I worked for several years in the restaurant business while working my way through college to become a teacher. I started as a dishwasher and busboy and eventually  became a short order cook and sous-chef. I lost a lot of weight during those years just by watching my diet. The hard work was pretty much all the exercise I needed.

However, I did one little thing which helped me when I hit a plateau.  Every restaurant had a storage cellar where supplies were kept.  So, I made a point of going up and down the stairs 3 or 4 times in the course of the night, each night that I worked.

That gave me some added exercise which really helped in the long run.

There are a couple of little tips that I found that help me tremendously.

1) Anything you do to get you heart rate up is good exercise. If you naturally run circles around people at work, maybe just increasing intensity like wearing ankle weights gets your heart rate up. For most people, I think it is just finding something you like to do. For me I despise running, yet I love going on a 10 mile bike ride, or love to hike. I hadn't really gone on a long ride in more than 15 years, and I renewed a love of going 7-10 miles per hour, just peddling the neighborhoods, looking at scenery and meeting people along the way. If it is cold and wet, instead of hiking or biking, I get on the elliptical. What do I use as a tool for getting my heart rate up? I just try to work at an intensity where I will start to sweat. As my doctor says, it doesn't matter the activity - just get the heart rate up.

2) Have variety. I try for an elevated heart rate 5 days per week. Some days I am mowing the lawn, or gardening, or trimming shrubs. I have renewed an interest in going down the club and dancing the night away - I just limit myself to one drink. I also like to go on "speed" walks and have really gotten to know our neighbors. For some reason no one mentions this, but having an active s e x life is a great all-body work out.

And as you get more active, you will start to enjoy it more, and you will get even more active and enjoy it even more. 

Start  by hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions. Tell her what your goals are and that you are having a difficult time getting started with an exercise routine.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/programs/recreatio n/shape-up-nyc

 

If you mean Coney Island as in Brooklyn NYC above is a link to free exercise classes in your area. I live on Staten Island and just today I took advantage to the free Zumba class (for my first time). It was held outdoors and was perfect esp for the cost.

I know that I need to work-out for my mental state. Hope you are up and at em' in no time. Come on over to SI and we can work out together. Can always use the buddy system.

I have always had the same issue, I could always talk myself out of excercise but never into it. Then I realized I had to stop thinking so much about it and just do it. I have 3 kids and work full time, I had to make my workouts a priority, just like I dont like doing the dishes or laundry, I still go home each day and do them. So I go home change my clothes and workout. I try to get at least around 40 minutes 6 days a week. I have been steadily working out for 5 months now and I feel great which is a huge motivator. I am constantly changing up my workouts to keep them from getting boring too. I will walk, and mow the grass and play on the xbox kinect. I recently completed the first 30 days of Power 90, getting ready to start the next 30.

But my best advice is just to add to the other things that you must do everyday and eventually it will be like 2nd nature. When I know I am going to have a really busy night, I will get up early in the morning to get my workout in and over with.